This invention pertains to methods and devices for nasal breathing assist devices, in particular to methods and devices for reducing snoring.
Snoring is a condition characterized by rough, loud, rattling breathing or inspiratory noise during sleep or deep coma. The characteristic snoring noise is produced by vibration of the soft palate (the soft tissue in the roof of the mouth near the throat) or vocal chords by inhaled or exhaled air. As the soft palate vibrates, the lips, cheeks, and nostrils may also vibrate, making the snoring louder.
Snoring can be caused by underlying physical or disease conditions that restrict air passages and force the patient to breathe with exaggerated force to move air through narrowed nasal passages. Chronic snoring can be the result of obstruction of larynx, upper airways, a deviated nasal septum, and blockages to the nose and nasal passages. Temporary snoring, or a sudden onset of snoring can be the result of stuffy and swollen mucus membranes, as with a cold or hay fever, or a nasal polyp.
Anatomical deformities in the airway such as such as large tonsils and adenoids, excessive length of the soft palate, or broken or crooked nose, can also diminish the airway size. Fat deposits around the upper airway, as found in obesity, can make the airway smaller. Low muscle tone in the muscles of the tongue and throat, or medications and foods (such as alcohol) that relax these muscles also increase snoring.
Snoring can causes relationship problems between partners, leading to a loss of intimacy and deterioration of relationships. Decreased sleep, or insufficient restful sleep increases irritability, poor memory and concentration and decreased work performance.
A number of methods and devices have been developed to reduce or eliminate snoring. Some devices are external to the patient and can include, buzzer systems and alarms that wake the patient. Special pillows, neck collars, chin braces and head straps have also been tested in an effort to control snoring. When snoring is caused by serious deformity, surgery has been performed to remove anatomical obstructions, such as removing tonsils, or correcting a deviated septum. Occasionally a procedure called UPPP (Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) is recommended. This procedure acts like an internal facelift, tightening loose tissue. However, the success rate is only 50%. Laser surgery to correct airway defects is also available in some cases.
Other remedies include herbal potions and medications such as decongestants and anti-histamines. Diet and lifestyle changes may also reduce snoring to some degree.
Various devices have been developed that keep the mouth open, the tongue depressed, or nasal passages open. These dental devices can be expensive custom-fit, or inexpensive over-the counter mouth pieces. Adhesive nasal strips, which are applied externally to either side of the nose, have been developed. While these strips may dilate the nasal passages to small degree, they do not work well in patients with anatomical deformities or obstructions in the nose. Air masks that force pressurized air into the mouth and lungs are available. These devices can be cumbersome, unsightly, painful, or expensive, and the patient may abandon these approaches in short time.
The object of the present invention is to reduce snoring by improving the air flow through the nasal passages. It is a further object to provide devices that improve airflow through the nasal passages during sleep.
One aspect of the invention provides xe2x80x9cdual tubexe2x80x9d nasal breathing assist devices having a pair of open-ended tubular elements connected together by a coupler element. The tubular elements are preferably conic-frustum shaped along a tube axis, having a relatively large first end and a relatively small second end, and tapering from the first end to the second end along the tube axis. In some embodiments, each tubular element may have passageways extending through the tubular elements transverse to the tube axis. These passageways may be elongated, and extend at least in part in the direction of the tube axes.
The coupler element maintains the tubular element in a generally parallel relationship to each other in a common plane and in a spaced-apart relation which corresponds generally to the separation between the user""s nostrils.
In one embodiment, the coupler element is a resilient, nominally curved strut which allows the tube elements to rotate in a plane substantially perpendicular to the tube axes.
In an alternate embodiment, the coupler element is a resilient, nominally curved strut which allows the tube elements to rotate in a plane substantially perpendicular to the tube axes.
In another embodiment, the tubular elements have resilient tabs that extend from the first (i.e., relatively large) end in a direction substantially parallel to the tube axes. The tabs are elongated in the direction of the tube axes.
In another embodiment of the invention, a xe2x80x9csingle tubexe2x80x9d nasal breathing assist device is a single, open-ended, resilient tubular element, adapted for insertion into a user""s nostril. The tubular element is conic-frustum shaped, having a relatively large diameter first end and relatively small diameter second end, and a taper extending from the first end to the second end along a tube axis. The tubular element may have passageways extending through the tubular element transverse to the tube axis. In one form, these passageways may be elongated.
In some forms of both the single tube or dual tube embodiments of the invention, the tubular elements have a tab extending from the first (i.e. relatively large) end which extends substantially parallel to the tube axis and is elongated in the direction of the tube axis. In yet another embodiment, each tube element has a tab support extending radially from the first end in a direction substantially perpendicular to the tube axis. At least one resilient tab extends from the tab support, and is elongated in the direction of the tube axis.
Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.